NIPIGON – Sports – Friday night at the Nipigon Community Centre the Nipigon Elks played host to the Thunder Bay Junior Stars. The last time these two teams met each other there was 305 minutes in penalties handed out. There were 222 handed out in the second period alone. You never what type of game it will be when the Stars are in town?
The Nipigon Elks have good hometown hockey players this year. The players are Zak Nuttal, Max Verville, Cole Saunders, Devon Thompson, Alex Harvey and Matt Jean. The crowd has behind the team this year and it is showing up on the scoreboard with wins.
The visiting Stars wasted no time lighting the scoreboard. Their goal came from Zach Rocco at the 57 second mark of the first period. The Elks tied the game up with a goal from Colt Manson. A minute later Eric St. Jean put the Elks up 2-1. Eric Bayko scored to put Nipigon up 3-1. With just over a minute left in the first period the Stars Matt Hamlin scored to bring the visitor’s within one at 3-2. The Elks team captain Steve St. Jean was given an early shower for getting a cross checking major and a game misconduct by Referee Adam Massaro. After one period of play it was 3-2 for Nipigon.
Once again the visiting Stars started the scoring. Cory Sdao scored to tie the game at 3-3. Eric St. Jean notched his second of the game and put the home town Elks up 4-3. Goals by Cole Saunders and Zak Nuttal put the Elks up to a commanding lead at 6-3. The crowd just loved it. Ex-Elk Dan Biscardi got one back for the Stars to make the score 6-4. When the buzzer sounded to end the second period the Elks skated off the ice with a hard fought 6-4 lead.
The Elks Alex Harvey and Eric St. Jean scored the only goals in the third period. With the two goals it increased the Elks lead to 8-4 and wins the game by the same score. With the win the Elks tied first place Northern Hawks.
The Elks next home game is Friday December 7th at 7:30pm against the Northern Hawks. In four games so far this year both teams have won two games each.
The Elks remaining games in December will be Friday December 14th 7:30pm against the Thunder Bay Junior Stars. During the Christmas break the Elks will welcome Fort Francis to Nipigon for an exhibition game on Friday December 28th at 7:30pm
Doug Harvey